Fernando Poe, Jr. ( king of pilipino movies )

Ronald Allan Pou y Kelley-Gatbonton (August 20, 1939 – December 14, 2004), better known as Fernando Poe, Jr. and colloquially known as FPJ and Da King, was a Filipinoactor
and cultural icon. From the 1950s, Poe played steadfast film heroes who
fight for the common man, which won him respect and admiration. He did
not complete high school but went on to win numerous awards and prizes
as an actor and film director. During the latter part of his career, he
ran an unsuccessful bid for President of the Philippines in the 2004 presidential election against the former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

He was honored on May 24, 2006 as Philippine National Artist through Philippine Proclamation No. 1065.

Early life:

Ronald Allan Pou y Kelley-Gatbonton was born on August 20, 1939 in Manila of Pangasinan, Spanish, Kapampangan and Irish American descent, the son of actor-producer-director Fernando Poe, Sr. of San Carlos City, Pangasinan (1916–1951) and Bessie Gatbonton Kelley (1918–1999) of Candaba, Pampanga.[2][3] His mother, Bessie Kelley, was an American and sometimes called Elizabeth Kelley in some sources especially in Philippine press.[4][5][6]
His mother's parents, Arthur Kelley (WWI Army Corp of Engineer from
Iowa, USA) was an Irish American who settled in the Philippines and
Martha Gatbonton, a Filipina of mixed Kapampangan and Spanish heritage.
Poe Jr.'s parents were not legally married yet when he was born in 1939.
His parents later married in 1940.[7] He was the second of six siblings, born after Elizabeth and before Fernando II (Andy), Genevieve (Jenny), Fredrick (Freddieboy), and Evangeline. His name at birth was Ronald Allan Kelley Poe; his brother Andy was the legal Fernando Poe Jr.[citation needed]

Actor Conrad Poe was his half-brother, the illegitimate son of Fernando Poe, Sr. by actress Patricia Mijares.[8] The original family surname was spelled Pou from his grandfather, playwright Lorenzo Pou, a Catalan migrant from Majorca, Spain, who ventured into mining and business in the Philippines.[8]
As his father was a famous actor, Poe had small parts in several movies
of the 1940s. However, Fernando Poe, Sr. died in 1951 after a rabid
puppy licked his wounds. Poe finished primary education in 1953 at San Beda College. For high school, he went to San Sebastian College, Mapua Institute of Technology, and University of the East.[9]
After the death of his father, he dropped out of the University of the
East in his sophomore year in order to work to support his family. He
worked odd jobs, including as a cleaner, a messenger boy and a stuntman,
before becoming a full-time actor. He then adopted the screen name Fernando Poe, Jr.

Acting career:

Poe dropped out of high school to work in the Filipino film industry as a messenger boy, and was given acting roles in subsequent years.[9] Starting as a stuntman for Everlasting Pictures, he was given a break and landed his first starring role in the movie Anak ni Palaris (Son of Palaris) at the age of 14. The movie was not a big hit. In 1957, the movie Lo Waist Gang made him popular,[9] and the film was such a big hit that low-waist pants became a fad.

Known also as FPJ from his initials, Poe acted in a number of
movies which depicted him as the champion of the poor and downtrodden.
He also directed nine movies, under the pseudonym Ronwaldo Reyes. Reyes originated from the surname of his paternal grandmother, Martha. The name Ronwaldo Reyes also alliterates to Ronald Reagan, who like Poe, was an actor who later ran for President.

He established FPJ productions in 1961 and later organized other film
companies such as D'Lanor, JAFERE, and Rosas Productions. In 1963, he
testified against criminal gangs, known as the Big Four, who extorted
money from the film industry.[11] In 1965, he shared the lead in The Ravagers, a film depicting the United States and the Philippines working together against Japanese war time occupation. The film is considered one of the most influential Filipino films.

Poe became an award-winning actor and garnered the most best actor awards at the FAMAS. Among the movies that received awards were Mga Alabok ng Lupa (1967), Asedillo (1971), Durugin si Totoy Bato, Umpisahan Mo, Tatapusin Ko (1983), and Muslim Magnum .357 (1987).[12]

Poe accepted the nomination in December 2003 and was to be the
standard opposition bearer for the Philippines' 2004 presidential
election.[13]
Some accounts portray him as a reluctant candidate who was only
prevailed upon to accept the nomination by his best friend, former
President Joseph Estrada.
But other accounts say he was convinced to cast his bid for the
presidency because of the overwhelming crowd that gathered for the first
rally of the FPJ for President Movement at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Personal life:

Poe married actress Susan Roces (born as Jesusa Sonora) in December 1968 in a civil wedding. They were later married in a church and among their primary sponsors were then President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos. They adopted their only daughter, current MTRCB Chairman Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares.

Although a famous public figure, Poe had been very reclusive about
his personal life. However, in February, 2004, during the presidential
campaign, Poe admitted to having sired two children out of wedlock.

Death and legacy:

Poe was admitted to Saint Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City on the evening of December 11, 2004 after complaining of dizziness at a gathering in his production studio premise.[14] He suffered from a stroke and slipped into a coma while being treated for a brain clot. Doctors described his condition as a cerebral thrombosis with multiple organ failure.[15] He died at the age of 65 on December 14 at 12:01 am, without regaining consciousness.[15] Friends and allies from the movie and political worlds were at his bedside. He left behind his wife actress Susan Roces and daughter, Mary Grace

The nine day wake was attended by hundreds of thousands, with organizers claiming numbers as high as two million.[16] The funeral procession drew tens of thousands who crowded the streets of Quezon City, an event that was reminiscent of the funeral processions of Ninoy Aquino in 1983 and matinee idol Julie Vega in 1985. He was buried in his family plot along with his father and mother in North Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.

6th Death Anniversary:On December 14, 2010, Susan Roces
led 6th death anniversary rites by a Mass visit to the cemetery in
simple rites for husband Fernando Poe Jr. "Dear uncle Ronnie, I love
you, I miss you" small Christmas cards were placed near flowers on Poe's
tomb.

In popular culture:

Fernando Poe Jr. inspired a generation of television and movie
impersonators, both serious and comedic. His iconic movie role as the
'Pinoy Robin Hood' and 'People's Champion' in most of his films have repeatedly been clichéd by Filipino action films for years to come.

TV host-comedian Joey De Leon parodied FPJ and his iconic film persona (most notably the character of Flavio in "Ang Panday") in many cameo and starring roles. In the comedy-hit movie "She-Man, Mistress of the Universe",
FPJ himself appeared in character (as Flavio) and made a memorable
cameo appearance to rescue "Pandoy" (De Leon's character name) against
his enemies. Ironically, De Leon in his Starzan character from the film of the same name made a cameo appearance in FPJ's film "May Isang Tsuper ng Taxi" asking the latter to take him to the forest.